Painted Splendor

The Context and Conservation of a Chinese Reception Hall in the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Adriana Proser, Sally Malenka and Beth A. Price
Contributing author: Klaas Ruitenbeek

Those who are interested in Chinese architecture, especially the restoration and conservation of Chinese halls and its painted decorations, should find this book an indispensable reference. Based on the study of the Philadelphia Museum of Art renowned Ming dynasty reception hall, this volume provides important new research with regard to its history and painted decoration.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art's reception hall is representative of official style architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties. This style was used primarily for palaces, imperially sponsored temples, and imperial tomb architecture in the metropolitan area of Beijing. Constructed around 1640, the Museum's reception hall is a telling example of the consistency of the official style during the five hundred years period from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century.

As the only significant example of palace architecture outside of China, the Philadelphia Museum of Art's reception hall gives us a rare chance to see and experience the splendor of decorative painting style that has long vanished through political change and the rapid modernization of China.

Price: US$18.00